1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for loading granular material into railway hopper cars and evenly distributing any foreign matter carried therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Grain, such as soybeans, corn and wheat, is harvested by farmers using mechanical combines. When the combine picks up the grain, it also harvests and accumulates a certain amount of "trash", i.e. dirt, foreign matter, weed seeds, etc. The grain together with the trash is off-loaded from the combine into a truck. Since the trash tends to be of smaller size and lighter than the grain, it has a tendency to concentrate itself directly under the off-loading spout of the combine. The grain, which is heavier, flows more readily to the sides of the truck and contains the least amount of foreign matter at these locations.
The grain is then transferred by truck to a storage point, typically grain elevators. There, a sample of the grain is taken, the amount of foreign matter in the grain is determined, and that amount is subtracted from the price of the grain paid to the farmer. The truckload of grain is then placed in the elevator.
Further in the distribution process, the grain is transferred from the elevators into railroad cars. Typically, the grain in the elevator is pushed to the top of the elevator into a large pipe by means of an auger type system and is fed downward by gravity through the pipe into the railroad car. Railroad cars generally have a centrally located hatchway running the length of the top of the car. Once again the foreign matter tends to be concentrated directly under the hatchway. When the loaded car reaches its destination, a sample of the grain is taken, the percentage of foreign matter determined, and the elevator owner paid accordingly. Since the grain sample is taken through the open hatchway, the sample tends to have a greater amount of foreign matter as compared to other locations within the railroad car. Therefore, a true percentage of foreign matter in the grain is not obtained, and the sample shows erroneously a higher content of foreign matter than if the grain and foreign matter were mixed evenly in the railroad car.